Consumer Guide Promotes Personal Health Records

American Health Information Management Association's educational booklet complements government drive to get people to create and use PHRs.

The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) has issued a guide to help consumers understand how they can access their medical records and what they can do with them. The guide, which explains personal health records (PHRs) and patient portals in consumer-friendly language, arrives at a time when the federal government is pressing healthcare providers and electronic health record (EHR) vendors to make it easier for consumers to obtain their medical information.

Posted on AHIMA's myPHR.com website, "Understanding Your Medical Record" is intended as a resource for consumers who are interested in maintaining their own PHRs. Among other things, the guide sets forth what is included in medical records, why these records are important, how to obtain them, how to use them to talk to your doctor, how to submit corrections if they contain errors, and how to file a complaint if you believe your privacy has been violated.